Card game, deck of cards and method for playing a card game

ABSTRACT

A deck of playing cards includes a fist set of twenty “identity” cards having a similar design of a first color on a back surface thereof and a picture of an item and a distinctive color on a front surface thereof. A single product being displayed on a single card. A second set of forty “match” cards having similar designs on a back surface thereof but of a different color than the first set of cards include a first ingredient card and a second direction card for each item and a matching color. The opening player discards a lead card and players continue around a circle until a first and second card is discarded. The player who plays the last of the three lasting cards then plays another card and the game proceeds until a player disposes of all of his/her cards.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new card game, custom deck of cards and a method for playing the new card game and more particularly to a card game, custom deck of cards and method for playing a card game for recreational and educational purposes.

BACKGROUND FOR THE INVENTION

Numerous types of playing card decks and card games are known. Such games include poker, hearts, pinochle, rummy and bridge which are generally played using conventional decks. Other games require customized decks of playing cards. For example, a U.S. Patent of Mundle et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,059 discloses a card game containing a deck of sixty cards. The deck is divided into four distinguishable categories. Each category comprises a plurality of cards numbered consecutively. The deck also includes two non-numbered cards. A pre-determined number of cards have point values. During game play, tricks are played with each player playing a card having the same category as the category of the card leading the trick. After each player has had a turn at playing a card of the trick, the player that played the highest numbered card of the trick takes the trick along with points, if any in the trick. The player that took the last trick leads a card for the next trick. A player is forced to take a trick when that player plays a multiple-point value card during a trick and an opposing player counters by playing a non-numbered card in the same trick. The object of the game is to avoid acquiring points.

A more recent patent U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,484 of Strauss discloses a method for a novel card game. The game employs a deck of cards with two or more suits and each suit having cards consecutively numbered starting from zero. The player selects how many suits they will hold in their hand and the number of cards forms each suit. The cards are then dealt and each player, in order places a card face up in the middle between the players. Each consecutive player then places a higher numbered card in the middle of the table until one player has no cards or until no cards can be played by any of the players. A winner is then declared based on the player who has no cards or the player with the lowest total value of face cards in his/her hand.

A United States Patent Application Publication of Pellham, No. 2003/0173741 discloses a method and apparatus for a recipe game. As disclosed, a game can be played using two different classes of tokens according to the disclosed method to assemble sets of tokens. The tokens may be playing cards and the two different classes may be, for example, a group class made up of cards each of which identify a number of the group, namely a type of coffee beverage. The second class of cards could then be the ingredients for each type of coffee beverage, with each ingredient being identify on a separate card. Wild cards may be included. Sets are assembled by collecting a recipe card and the ingredient cards that correspond to the recipe card.

Notwithstanding the above, it is presently believed that there is a potential market for a new card game, customized deck of cards and method for playing the new game. There should be a demand because the new card game, custom deck of cards and method for playing the game in accordance with the present invention are educational and provide recreational entertainment. Further, such games have relatively simple rules and are relatively easy to play. Notwithstanding the ease of playing, such games should appeal to a wide range of ages and can be used to educate relatively young players to match cards in the same category and in understanding a product, its components and assembly. As for example, a menu of food items, there ingredients and directions for making the items.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In essence the present invention contemplates a card game and customized deck of cards each of which has a front surface and a back surface. The deck includes a first set of cards having back surfaces with similar appearances and a second set of cards having common back surfaces distinguishable from the cards in the first set of cards by the appearance of the back surfaces. For example, the back surfaces in both sets may incorporate an identical design however; the back surface of the first set may be of one color such as blue while the back surface of the second set is red. The first set of twenty cards includes pictorial representations of a plurality of items on the front surface with a single item displayed on the front surface of each card in the first set. Further, a distinguishing color on a front surface of each of the cards in the first set of cards distinguishes each of the cards from the other cards in the first set. At the same time, the second set of cards includes two cards corresponding to each of the cards in the first set of cards and includes a corresponding color on a front surface thereof. As for example, a distinguishing color is shown in each of the four corners of the card. A first of the two cards in the second set includes information about the components or ingredients in the pictorial representations that is the corresponding item in the first set of cards. In addition, the second of the two cards contains supplemental information on the item in the corresponding card as for example, the directions for making the item or assembly of the items. The purpose of the game is to dispose of one's cards by discarding one or two corresponding cards to complete a series of three in a discard pile.

The invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the back surfaces of the sixty one cards in the deck wherein the cards in set one have a back surface of a first color and the cards in set two have a back surface in a different color;

FIG. 2 shows three corresponding cards taken from the first and second sets of cards; and

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the method for playing a game in accordance with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

A card game and customized deck of cards for playing the card game are illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. As shown, a deck of cards includes sixty-one cards, each of which have a front surface and a back surface. As illustrated each of the sixty-one cards have a common design on the back surface. However, in a preferred embodiment of the invention twenty “picture” cards or category cards in a group 31 have a back surface in a different color than the other forty “matching” or information cards 33. For example, in a preferred embodiment of the invention the twenty picture cards have a design in a red color on the back surface while the forty matching cards and joker have an identical design with a blue color. It is also contemplated to use the same color but different designs for the two sets of cards. However, color is the preferred approach to visually distinguish the cards in the category or picture cards and the matching cards. The differences in colors on the back surfaces of the two groups of cards may be helpful in analyzing an opponents hand during play.

The 20 picture cards each include a picture and printed name of an item. For example, different food items, recipes, set of sport games, and historical events may be illustrated on each of the picture cards. Each of the picture cards also includes a distinguishing color as for example on the four corners of the front surface of the card.

The 40 matching cards include two matching or information cards that correspond to each picture card. The two matching cards illustrated in Figures a-F include information that relates to a picture card. For example, the matching cards that relate to a menu item could include ingredients on one matching card and directions for preparing the item on the other. The matching cards also include distinguishing colors that correspond to the colors on the picture cards so that a picture card and two matching cards will have the same colors on the four corners on the front surface or faces thereof.

The joker 35 which may be referred to as the start card does not necessarily need a distinguishing color on its face and need not be referred to or includes an image of a Joker. In essence it is used to identify an individual in a circle of players who is to start the game.

A method for playing a card game in accordance with the present invention will now be described in connection with FIG. 3. The card game referred to hereinafter as the “Circle Game” is played by 3, 4, 5, 6, or perhaps 10 players who sit in a circle about a table or on a floor. The Circle Game begins like most card games with a deck of cards. In this case, a special or customized deck of sixty-one cards as described above is provided in step 40.

In step 42, all of the 61 cards are shuffled and 60 cards are dealt around the circle so that each player receives an equal number of cards. The last card i.e. the 61^(st) card is turned up in the middle of the circle. The player who has the joker or start card 35 begins play by discarding the joker and a card that corresponds to the face up card in step 44. However, if the player has one of the matching cards i.e. with the same distinguishing color in the corners as the face up card he discards it. If the individual has both corresponding cards he can discard both cards at this time.

If the player who starts the game does not have a matching card, play moves to the next player as for example to the left or right and continues around the circle in step 46 until one of the players has a corresponding card or both corresponding cards, they are discarded. However, if the next player does not have a corresponding card play moves on to the next player and the next until all three cards in a set have been discarded. Then, the player who discarded the last of a third matching cards begins the next round by discarding another card from his hand in step 48. If the player has two matching cards they may discard both cards.

Play is then continued until one player has discarded all of his cards to thereby win the game in step 50. Scoring can be calculated by assigning each player the number of cards remaining in their hands so that the player with the least points would be the overall winner after a predetermined number of games.

While the invention has been described in connection with its preferred embodiments, it should be recognized that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A card game comprising a deck of cards each of which have a front surface and a back surface and wherein said deck of cards include a first set of cards having back surfaces of similar appearances and a second set of cards having common back surfaces distinguished from said first set of cards by the appearance of said back surfaces; and said first set of cards including pictorial representations of a plurality of items on said front surfaces with a single item displayed on said front surface of each card in said first set; a distinguishing color on the front surface of each of said cards in said first set of cards for distinguishing each of said cards from the other of said cards in said first set of cards, and said second set of cards including two cards corresponding to each of said cards in said first set of cards and including a corresponding color on a front surface thereof and wherein a first said of two cards includes information about the corresponding item in said first set of cards and wherein said second of said two cards contains supplemental information on the item in the corresponding card in said first set of cards, and where the purpose of the game is to dispose of one's cards by discarding three corresponding cards from said two sets of cards.
 2. A card game according to claim 1 in which the back surface of said first set of cards are identical.
 3. A card game according to claim 2 in which the back surface of said second cards are identical.
 4. A card game according to claim 3 in which the back surface of said first and second sets of cards have an identical design and the back surfaces of said first set of cards is of a different color than the back surface of said second set of cards.
 5. A card game according to claim 4 wherein distinguishing colors on the front surface of the first set of cards are prominently displayed and cover the four corners of each card to distinguish one of said first set of cards from the other of said first set of cards and wherein two of said cards in said second set of cards for each card in said first set of cards have matching colors on the four corners of the front surface thereof.
 6. A card game according to claim 5 which includes a joker card with the back surface of the same design and color as the cards in the second set of cards.
 7. A card game according to claim 5, which includes twenty cards in, said first set of cards and forty cards in said second set of cards.
 8. A card game comprising a deck of cards each of which have a front surface and a back surface and wherein said deck of cards include a first set of identity cards having back surfaces of similar appearances and a second set of information cards having common back surfaces distinguishable from said back surface of said first set of cards by appearances, and said first set of cards including pictorial representations of a plurality of food items on said front surfaces with a single item displayed on a front surface of each card in said first set, a distinguishing color displayed on a front surface of each of said cards in said 1^(st) set of cards and covering four corners thereof for distinguishing each of said cards from the other of said cards in said first set of cards, and said second set of cards including two cards corresponding to each of said cards in said first set and including a corresponding color on a front surface thereof which matches the color of the corresponding card in said first set of cards and wherein the first of said two cards include a list of the ingredients of the corresponding food item in the corresponding card in said first set of cards and wherein said second of said two cards contains directions for making the food item shown on a corresponding card in said first set of cards and wherein the purpose of the game is to dispose of one's cards by adding corresponding cards to a discard pile.
 9. A card game according to claim 8 in which the back surfaces of said first set of cards are identical.
 10. A card game according to claim 9 in which the color of the back surfaces of said first set of cards is different than the color of the back surface of said second set of cards.
 11. A card game according to claim 10 which includes twenty cards in said first set of cards and forty cards in said second set of cards.
 12. A card game according to claim 11 which includes a joker for designating a player for starting the game.
 13. A deck of playing cards, said deck comprising first and second groups of cards wherein each of said cards in each of said groups have front and back surfaces and wherein the back surfaces of said cards in said first group have similar appearances and the back surfaces of said cards in said second group have similar appearances that are visually distinguished from said cards in said first group, said cards in said first group having pictorial representations of food items on said front surface with a single menu displayed on the front surface of each card in said first group and a distinguishing color displayed on a front surface of each of said cards in said first group and covering, four corners thereof for distinguishing each of said cards from other of said cards in said first group; said second group of cards including two cards corresponding to each of said cards in said first group of cards and including a corresponding color on four corners of the front surface thereof that matches the color in the corresponding card in said first group of said cards and wherein the first of said two cards includes a list of ingredients for the matching food item and said second of said two cards contain directions for preparing the food item shown on the face of the corresponding card in said first group of cards.
 14. A group of playing cards according to claim 13 in which the backs surface of said cards in said first group of cards is of a different color than the back surface of the cards in said second group of cards.
 15. A deck of playing cards according to claim 14 in which said first group of cards consists of twenty cards and said second group of cards consist of forty informational cards.
 16. A deck of playing cards according to claim 15 which includes a joker card having a back surface that is identical to the back surface of the cards in the second group of cards.
 17. A method for playing a card game with a custom deck of playing cards wherein the deck includes two sets of cards each of which has a front and back surface and wherein the back surfaces of the two sets have a different appearance and wherein each of the cards in the first set includes a pictorial representation of a meal and a distinctive color on a front surface thereof and in which the second set includes two cards with a matching color that matches a distinctive color of a card in the first set and one of the two cards including a list of ingredients for the meal shown on the matching card while the other includes directions for preparing the meal; the method comprising the steps of: (a) shuffling the deck of cards and distributing sixty of the sixty one cards evenly among 3, 4, 5, 6 or 10 participants and turning up the last card on a playing surface; (b) the player with the joker discards the joker and discards a card that corresponds to the turned up card or passes to the next player; (c) the player that discards the third card with the same distinctive color as the faced up card, then selects a lead card and discards it on the playing surface; (d) the players continue to discard cards during each turn as long as they have a card with the same distinctive color as a discarded card.
 18. A card game comprising a first set of twenty identity cards having a similar design in a first color on a back surface and a picture of a meal and a distinctive color on a front surface thereof with a single product displayed on a single card and a second set of forty information cards having a similar design but a second color on a back surface, said second information card including two cards corresponding to each of said identity cards, a first of said identity cards including ingredients or parts and a second of said information cards including directions that correspond to an identity card of the same identifying color and a joker card and wherein the opening player discards a card that corresponds to a face up card in an opening move, play continues around a circle until first and second matching cards are discarded, the player who plays the last of the three matching cards then plays another card and the game proceeds until a player disposes of all of their cards. 